Lachie Neale's Brisbane getaway

Fremantle’s culture has again been called into question, a day after revelations star midfielder Lachie Neale spent the weekend in Brisbane pondering a trade to the Lions at season’s end.

There are growing expectations Neale will request the move a year before he qualifies for free agency, despite reports a lucrative four-year deal was tabled to the 25-year-old by Fremantle last week.

Speaking on Footy Classified, respected football journalist Caroline Wilson pointed to the likely departure of Neale and Lachie Weller’s shock exit last year as examples of poor player morale at the Dockers.

“For the second year in a row, a good young player wants out of Fremantle to go to a Queensland club,” Wilson said.

“As big a story, though, are the departures from Fremantle. There is definitely some genuine unhappiness there, genuine issues off-field as well as on the field and I think Brisbane have been working on this led by their coach, Chris Fagan, their very astute footy boss, David Noble, and of course, Luke Hodge, for some months.

“Big list management meeting at Brisbane tomorrow. I think they believe they have got him.”

“It’s interesting that they decide it’s OK to follow a course of total bottom out after a brief, a very brief period at the top of the ladder,” Ling said.

“It speaks to the culture of the entire club and that culture’s led by the senior coach as well.”

WATCH: Duff and Quarters look at the implications Lachie Neale's potential departure could have on the Fremantle midfield.

The West Australian

VideoWATCH: Duff and Quarters look at the implications Lachie Neale's potential departure could have on the Fremantle midfield.

His comments echoed those made in August by outspoken Brownlow medallist Brad Hardie, who has long been critical of coach Ross Lyon’s tenure at the Dockers.

In his assessment, Hardie also questioned the support offered by CEO Steve Rosich, suggesting it came at the cost of genuine feedback that might’ve been offered to the veteran coach.

“It’s got to a point now where it is so toxic, the morale is so low at the Fremantle Dockers right now,” Hardie said.

“Only one person on the board on a regular occurrence challenges Ross Lyon. (Lyon) doesn’t like it. Every time there is some sort of criticism directed, Steve Rosich steps in and cuts it off at the par so I think he has to go as well.”

Former Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd was critical of Rosich’s decision to take over list management duties as the club seeks to replace Brad Lloyd, following his defection to Carlton last month.

“I would’ve thought that Chris Bond (football manager) would be in charge of list management or David Walls (recruiting manager), who was under Brad, rather than the CEO,” Lloyd said.